


Are They Still Worthy of Love?

by Kaetbab



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bloodbending (Avatar), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, It’s near as common as healing, Katara is Zuko and Sokka is Azula, Lu Ten was killed in a raid rather than in battle, Ozai (Avatar) is a Good Dad, Role Swap AU, Timeline What Timeline, Ursa and Ozai are good parents, Watertribe women as warriors, Zuko and Azula are...not okay, and scary ones at that, but at what cost, essentially the water tribes started the war, for once, implied non-bender Iroh, in the slightest, look you can’t tell me you don’t want a bending prodigy Sokka, the Avatar Cycle is the same
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:53:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27861078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaetbab/pseuds/Kaetbab
Summary: In a world where the Water Tribes start the war, Katara finds herself flying with none other than Zuko towards the Equinox Navy group. On the way, he shares what finally happened on that fateful day of the raids.(Water Tribes start the war AU)
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula & Iroh (Avatar), Azula & Ozai (Avatar), Azula & Ursa (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 58





	Are They Still Worthy of Love?

**Author's Note:**

> This, like most of my writing, is purely indulging in my unhealthy obsession of niche AUs. This one I definitely thought out more, but it’s still just a loosely based scene that wouldn’t leave me alone. 
> 
> My decision to switch Katara and Sokka seems like a random one, but when you think about it, it fits their characters more. Sokka has always been the smart one who tries to be the best despite being a non-bender. Katara, even though she’s a prodigy, is more likely to care more for the people and doing the right thing, like Zuko. Sokka works with his brain, like Azula, and Katara works with her heart, like Zuko. Plus I really want a bending Sokka. That’s some good shit right there. 
> 
> Enjoy the fic and sorry in advance.

“We knew the Water Tribes would be coming, one day or another.”

Katara sat in the saddle of the bison, staring at his back with a frown. As the sun began to fall, allowing for Tu-  _ Yue’s  _ light to shine through, the golden color highlighted his hair, staining the normally inky black strands of hair a myriad of yellows and golds. It was fitting, in a sense. Despite losing the power of his domain, the power of Agni as Yue began to settle in the sky, he still looked as ethereal as the spirits. Katara was certain that if she didn’t love Aang, Zuko would’ve been her next interest. 

“We lived in the middle of the planet, of course, so they had to pass through to get to the other colonies, but my Father was certain that they would take longer to hunt us down. There should’ve been nothing much to find. They had already destroyed everything when they came the first few times. My cousin, Lu Ten, and my Uncle were their final target all those years ago, and they thought they got the last benders when they took my Uncle’s bending and killed Lu Ten for being ‘non-compliant.’” 

Katara knew this. The hunt of the firebenders had been a popular way to earn a title and fame in the Tribes. She had been raised to learn that her grandmother, Chief Soyani, had ordered the attacks under the pretense that Avatar Roku was still alive and preparing to destroy their nation as he had rejected her ultimate project of bringing peace and prosperity to the other nations. However, Katara was certain that the hunting of the other firebenders manifested purely from Soyani’s spite and need to guilt Roku.  _ “The death of your friends and family will be in your hands,”  _ she had written. Would things have turned out different if it were discovered Roku passed long before the raids? Would they have attacked the Air Temples instead? The thought made  her sick. Aang already suffered so much as is. But so did Zuko and Azula. 

“It was a normal day of training. Since our family is from the line of royals, who were always firebenders, dad wanted to start us on lightning in case we were discovered and couldn’t hide our bending. Paired with Avatar Roku’s line, he was certain we’d be able to do it, like him. Uncle was helping too. He was with me and Dad with Azula.” Zuko smiled wistfully, as if he were back in the memory. “We were going through the basic techniques when the tides began to recede.”

An ambush technique, used to disorient an area with a large, destructive wave then pick the rest off one by one. It was how the Tribes were successful in raiding each time.  _ Oh.  _ She had done that when she first approached their island. Tui and La, no wonder they hated her. Wisely though, Katara stayed silent. 

“Our homes were already far back away from the ocean, but we still had to defend. All of us got our weapons and fought. Azula and I stayed together, but at one point I had split off to find our mom and dad.” 

_ “Mom? Dad?” The 8 year-old called as he scrambled inside, only to stop short at the sight of the blue-clad warrior hovering over Ozai and Ursa. “What’s going on?”  _

_ “It’s alright sweetie,” Ursa soothed, ever the mediator. “Go find your sister and your uncle.”  _

_ Ozai studied the warrior before him with sharp eyes then glanced at Zuko. “Go ahead, listen to your mother.” The boy took a step back, hesitant. Ozai gave a small smile, the first he had seen in years since Lu Ten’s death. One meant to be disarming. “We’ll be fine, son.” _

_ The warrior sneered and glared at Zuko. “You heard your parents, run off.”  _

_ Taking a deep breath, Zuko turned and ran off, heading towards the battlegrounds once more. The parents let out a small breath of relief. The warrior looked to Ozai and Ursa once more. “Now, the firebenders?”  _

_ “We  _ told _ you, there are no more. You already took them all.” Ursa grit out, eyes narrowing. The warrior drew her blade, meeting her eye. Ursa stared defiantly, refusing to be intimidated by the weapon. After all, there were worse methods the warrior could use.  _

_ “Our sources informed us there were 2 more firebenders here, so I suggest you do not lie to me again. Where. Are. They?” The couple stayed silent. The woman snarled. “Either you tell me who, or this whole island sinks to the ocean floor.” Ozai sucked in a sharp breath and glanced to Ursa once more.  _

_ “If we tell you who, will you leave this island alone?” Ursa asked. The woman smiled and sheathed her blade. _

_ “You have my word.”  _

_ “It’s us, we’re the last firebenders. Take our bending.”  _

_ The warrior grinned cruelly as she raised her hand, forcing the couple to their knees. She stepped forward, closing her hand into a fist slowly. “Unfortunately, I’m not taking bending today.”  _

Zuko drew into himself slightly. “I ran as fast I could, trying to get their attention.”

_ (“Uncle, Azula!” They turned towards him. “There’s a strange woman in our house!”)  _

“However, by the time we got there, the woman was gone,” His voice cracked, and he looked down, “And so were our parents. Uncle tried to keep Azula and I from seeing, but we were stubborn.” His hand raised to the hairpiece in his hair. 

“I...I took the hairpiece from my mom’s hair before they did the funeral rights. Apparently it was Avatar Roku’s before he died. Azula’s is Dad’s. Uncle took it and heated the metal to wrap around a topknot rather than stick straight up and through. He copied the bottom band design of mine and made a similar pin to hold the hair together.” It made sense. Katara always thought the hairpieces were pretty. There was an elegance in the curled five prong flame in Azula’s hair compared to the two side prongs of Zuko’s, but they still looked unique in their own way. “It’s the only thing we have left of them. It helped on the bad days, especially after Uncle left to fight the war.”

Zuko lifted one hand up, letting a flame glide between his fingers. She frowned. Normally it would either be a bright yellow, bordering on gold, or flecked with other colors ( _ dragonfire _ , he said). Now, it stayed solidly between white and light blue. “Azula acted like she was fine, that nothing was wrong, but I could tell she was slipping. Her flames were always the brightest orange, but after Uncle left, they turned blue and stayed blue. I don’t blame her, though. Sometimes it feels like I’m slipping too.” His hand dropped. “I can’t tell what would’ve happened if news came back that Uncle died as well.”

She opened her mouth, but stopped short. What would she say? ‘I’m sorry’? ‘It’s not your fault’? The siblings blamed themselves, Katara was certain of that based on what she observed while...chasing them. Spirits, hadn’t she mocked them for it before too? It seemed so long ago, yet just like yesterday as well. She really was an asshole to them.

Instead, she settled for something else. Something that was hopefully more meaningful. “I’m sure they would’ve been proud of what you two have become.” Zuko shrugged, but she could see the quick swipe of his tears. 

“I hope so, but we’ll never know.” 


End file.
